


You Better Pick a Side

by ItsCutterKirby



Category: Dream SMP - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Dream Smp, Gen, Panic, Pre Doomsday (Dream SMP), Shapeshifting, Short One Shot, Taunting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-12 19:55:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28641081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsCutterKirby/pseuds/ItsCutterKirby
Summary: Ranboo waits for the final day to be over. A certain masked man pays him a visit.(Pre Doomsday, a sort of what-if, I suppose)
Relationships: why isn't there a rival tag
Comments: 7
Kudos: 74





	You Better Pick a Side

**Author's Note:**

> this is just because i wanted an excuse to write ranboo <3

Ranboo paced the obsidian floors of his panic room, hands gripping his sides, anticipating the coming Doomsday in just six hours.  
“What do I do… what do I _do,”_ he kept repeating.  
He was at a loss. He’s a traitor to everyone. Nobody wants him around, he’s _alone._ He probably even blew up the Community House, even if that didn’t make sense.  
He couldn’t even trust himself at this point.

He was interrupted by his now daily breakdown by nearby footsteps. They weren’t above him. They were _behind_ him.

Ranboo swiftly turned around and was unpleasantly greeted with the mask of Dream.

Still in a panic, Ranboo muttered, “Is he real?”

Dream pulled on his hoodie as if making sure he was still there. “Yep, I’m real,” he said condescendingly. “Are you okay, Ranboo?” There was no concern present in his tone.  
Ranboo stopped hugging himself, now convinced Dream was really here. “Yeah, I’m fine…” He wasn’t. “W-What are you doing here? How do you even know about this room?”

Dream inspected his fingernails nonchalantly. “You told me about it.”  
Ranboo sucked in a breath. “No I didn’t, I-I would remember that, I know I would.”

Dream cocks his head. “Would you?”

Ranboo’s at a loss for words. “Uh…” he stutters, “Hey, you never said what you’re doing here!”  
Dream put his hands in his hoodie pocket. “Just checking in before I destroy L’Manberg. It’s in six hours, you know.”  
Ranboo tensed. “I’m aware.”

“But the thing is, Ranboo,” the puppetmaster continues, “I’m not sure what side you’ll be on.”  
“I don’t choose sides,” Ranboo insisted.  
Dream laughed lightly. “This isn’t the time for your ‘philosophy’, okay? I’m here to ask who you’ll be fighting for.”  
“I’ll be fighting for my _friends,”_ Ranboo said angrily.  
“Techno’s your friend,” Dream said. “Will you be fighting with him? Or what about Tommy? I don’t think they’d like you helping _both_ sides, Ranboo.”

The enderman hybrid’s heartbeat grew quicker. “I-I don’t…” he faltered, “I can’t-Why are you taunting me?”  
Dream loomed over him, despite being about four inches shorter. “I think you know why.”

Ranboo took a deep breath in a futile attempt to console himself. “You want me to be on your side.”  
Ranboo could almost feel Dream grin under the mask. “Give the guy a prize,” he said calmly.

Ranboo shook his head frantically. “No, _no,_ I am not going to help you!” He backed away.  
“I think it would be in your best interest to help me, or at least do nothing at all,” Dream continued, “Seeing as you don’t have a choice.”

A beat of silence passed. “...What do you mean?” Ranboo asked hesitantly.  
“Well, do you really think they’ll trust you after reading that book?” Dream asked. “You’re a traitor. They don’t want you around, Ranboo. No one does. So who will you fight for?”

“I’ll fight for my friends-” Ranboo repeated, but he was cut off by Dream ducking behind him.  
 _“I’ll fight for my friends,”_ he echoed mockingly, but halfway through his voice shifted, sounding different and yet familiar.

Ranboo jolted to look at Dream, and was met with a mirror image of himself.

The hybrid stumbled back in shock. The clone image was _Dream,_ somehow, wearing Ranboo’s face. But there was nothing of the latter’s expression on it. His eyes were as cold and heartless as Ranboo had imagined.

 _“Oh, I don’t want to choose sides,”_ Dream said, in Ranboo’s voice, _“I’ll help everyone! I’ll make no enemies! That will all work out.”_ he jeered.  
Ranboo was stunned silent.

Dream moved closer to the hybrid. “Oh, Ranboo,” he chided. “You really are pathetic.” He laughs. His signature wheeze sounds strange with Ranboo’s voice.

Ranboo glared at the physical reflection. “This really is just a game to you, isn’t it..?” he said, more to himself than anything.  
Dream’s smile was unnerving. “I mean, yeah, that is what I said yesterday.”

Ranboo narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “Yesterday?” His eyes widened. “You really were there last night!”

For a moment, Dream’s facade cracked. Without his mask, it was easy to see a flicker of surprise cross his face. As quickly as it appeared, however, it was replaced by a calm smile of malice. “You’re smarter than you look.” Dream’s form morphs, and suddenly he’s back in his own skin. “Let’s see how far that gets you.”

Ranboo’s desperately trying not to let fear show on his face. _“Leave, now.”_  
Dream walks to the entrance smoothly. “Okay, I’ll let you stay out of it,” he says, “But just remember who’s really in control around here.” He waves. “See you around.”

He leaves.

Ranboo sinks to his knees, panic setting in. With shaky hands, he pulls out his memory book. The wide smiley face scrawled on the first page mocks him. He turns to his “Friends” page, and writes:

_‘Dream is not my friend.’_

With a sigh, he closes the book and crawls into a corner. He rocks slowly, waiting for the final day to be over with.

**Author's Note:**

> why is c!dream so much fun to write dsagdhsjg


End file.
